Judging the Entries

The judging process for the Zurich LAMA Awards is an integral part of the event. We have selected individuals to serve as judges who have distinguished themselves in their field and who demonstrate exceptional leadership ability and vision.

We make all efforts to avoid conflicts of interest in the judging process (such as inadvertently assigning a judge to evaluate an entry with which he/she is associated). At least two judges are assigned to each entry at random from within the pool of judges whose expertise is relevant. Any judges who find themselves with a conflict of interest are bound to come forward and let that entry be judged by someone impartial.

In evaluating the entries our judges utilize a comprehensive, points-based scoring system, dictated by the criteria for that particular category. By adhering to the specific guidelines and criteria of this system our judges are able to maintain the highest degree of fairness, accuracy and integrity and to competently and effectively evaluate entries. The average points will be taken forward and the top 4 in each category will be deemed finalists.

Judges

  • Alan Carthy - FIAVI
  • Barry Linnane - BA Fine Art Sculpture
  • Brian O'Neill - Publishing Director, Ashville Media Group
  • Cass Roche - Dip. Phy. Plann. MILI, MLI, Eur. LA. the principle, of PC Roche + Associates
  • Colin Walsh - MD of Irish Building Magazine
  • David Keating - Development Director for SAP Group
  • Dr Kevin Curran - Lecturer, University of Ulster
  • Hazel Keegan - Construction Underwriter, Zurich
  • James O'Halloran - BA., FIAVI
  • John Graby - Dipl Arch FRIAI
  • Joseph Little - Joseph Little Architects & Building Life Consultancy
  • Liam McCarthy - Manager, New Business & Special Risks Unit, Zurich
  • Lorcan Harding - Manager, Zurich Broker Partners
  • Roger Sweeney - Irish Water Safety

    • Alan Carthy - FIAVI
    Alan is a former Director of Housing and Water services in Fingal County Council. He was the author of the first Local Authority Housing Strategy produced in the country. Under his guidance Castlecurragh was developed, the largest integrated affordable housing development nationally with 430 affordable houses in an estate of 720 houses. He was also responsible for the Development of the Blanchardstown Library/ Draoicht Arts Centre the largest public library to date in the country.

    Barry Linnane - BA Fine Art Sculpture
    Barry studied Fine Art Sculpture at the Crawford College of Art & Design and from there went on to manage Fine Art Sculpture Foundries in both the UK and Ireland. In 2001 Barry devoted his time to being a full time sculptor concentrating on major public commissions and private collections. Barry established his own Foundry, Ravensgate Studios, which services his own needs alone and has the capacity to cast on larger scale than the main commercial foundries. Examples of Barry’s public pieces include:

    2008 /2009:
    "Temple Bar Man", 14 feet - Temple Bar Inn, Dublin 2
    "Twilight Haul", 22 feet - Castletownbere, West Cork

    2007/2008:
    "Ark of Thought & Memory", 26 feet - Cork County Council

    2005/2006:
    "Justice Figure", 9 feet - Nenagh Court House

    2003/2004:
    "Salmon", 16 feet - Marine Institute, County Mayo

    Brian O'Neill - Ashville Media Group
    Brian O'Neill is the publishing director of Ashville Media Group. Former editor and publisher of the Investor magazine and editor of You & Your Money magazine, Brian has 12 years experience as an editor and journalist. Following his graduation with a BA honours degree in Media Production from the University of Bedforshire, UK, Brian held editing posts in the UK, US and Ireland before joining Ashville Media as managing editor in August 2006.

    Cass Roche - Dip. Phy. Plann. MILI, MLI, Eur. LA. the principle, of PC Roche + Associates
    In 1984, Cass Roche established the practice of PC Roche + Associates. The practice has developed into an award winning landscape and physical planning design practice. A wide range of projects has been successfully completed, ranging from detailed landscape design to complex site planning projects in both urban and rural locations, throughout Ireland and overseas.

    The practice concentrates on delivering high quality schemes from presentation through the design process to on-site supervision. The practice utilises fully, the capabilities of computer-aided design from survey, presentation to detailed working drawings. Some of the awards that the practice has won, since its establishment, include an Award presented by Irish Planning Institute and Irish Independent, Award presented by Disability Ireland and National Rehabilitation Board and several Award presented by Bord Na Mona and Landscape Contractors.

    Colin Walsh - Irish Building Magazine
    Colin Walsh is Managing Director of Irish Building Magazine, Ireland's most widely read business magazine for the building professional. Colin has a background in marketing and design has over 15 years experience in publishing magazines for the building & public sectors. Colin works directly with key Government Departments and semi state agencies, Main Contractors, Architects, Engineers, Local Authorities and industry representatives to promote and report on best practise in building. Colin is very involved in the promotion of Health and Safety and through Irish Building Magazine actively engages with the building industry and the public sector to improve and promote Health and Safety. He was a founder organiser of the Irish Building Magazine's 'Construction Excellence Awards' (co-hosted with the Department of the Environment and the CIF) which promoted quality in the Irish building sector. Commenting on the LAMA Awards Colin says "I am delighted to have been selected once again as part of the judging panel and look forward to helping to further the ongoing promotion of excellence in public sector projects".

    David Keating - SAP Group
    David Keating. B.Agr.Sc (L.Hort); M.Agr.Sc.; MBA. David is Group Development Director with Sap, Ireland's largest Landscape Contractor and Tree Nursery. Following graduation, David worked for six years with the Parks Department of Dublin County Council. On completion of the MBA programme at Trinity College Dublin, he joined the Horticulture business of Bord na Mona where he was responsible for the Sales and Marketing of growing media products throughout Europe. At Bord na Mona, David led the team responsible for the large scale composting of industrial and domestic organic waste (greenwaste) for use in Horticulture

    Dr. Kevin Curran - University of Ulster
    BSc (Hons), PhD, SMIEEE, MBCS CITP, MACM, MIEE, FHEA is a senior lecturer in Computer Science at the University of Ulster. His achievements include winning and managing UK & European Framework projects and Technology Transfer Schemes. Dr Curran has made significant contributions to advancing the knowledge and understanding of computer networking and systems, evidenced by over 400 published works. He is a regular contributor to BBC radio & TV news in the UK and is currently the recipient of an Engineering and Technology Board Visiting Lectureship for Exceptional Engineers and is an IEEE Technical Expert for Internet/Security matters. He is listed in the Dictionary of International Biography, Marquis Who's Who in Science and Engineering and by Who's Who in the World.

    Hazel Keegan - Zurich Insurance
    Hazel Keegan is a Construction Underwriter for Zurich Insurance in Ireland where she is responsible for growing the construction account. Since commencing this role in 2007 she has been involved in underwriting some of the most prestigious construction projects and public private partnership contracts undertaken in Ireland in the last number of years. Previous roles included the underwriting of Marine and Engineering insurance for the company. Hazel joined Zurich in 2003 and is a graduate of History & Politics from University College Dublin.

    James O'Halloran - BA., FIAVI
    James O'Halloran is Managing Director of Adam's, Ireland leading Fine Art Auctioneers and Valuers. Having graduated from UCD in 1980 he joined Adams in 1981 and continued his studies which culminated in becoming a member of the Irish Auctioneers and Valuers Institute, (IAVI), Ireland's largest property body representing almost 2000 property professionals. He served on the IAVI's Education Committee and was Chairman of the Fine Art division for a number of years. In 2005/6 he served as the Institute's President.
    James specialises in the area of modern Irish art and regularly lectures on IAVI fine art courses and also in UCD and UL.

    John Graby - Dipl Arch FRIAI
    Degree in Architecture from Bolton Street, Dublin 1
    Diploma in Project Management trinity College Dublin, 1984
    Worked in Private practice in Dublin from 1970-1986
    Appointed Director RIAI 1986
    Member of the Forum for the Construction Industry
    Secretary of the Irish Architectural Archive
    Editor of Architectural Map Guide to Dublin, Building on the Edge of Europe, 150 Years of Irish Architecture, Phaidion Guide to the Architecture of Dublin, Irish Architectural Review. Member of the Health and Safety (HSA) Construction Advisory Committee & HSA Construction Safety Partnership.
    Chair of Architects Council of Europe Safety and Health Workgroup.

    Joseph Little - Joseph Little Architects & Building Life Consultancy
    BArch, MRIAI, MEASCA, MSc Archit. AEES (Hons)
    Joseph Little is the principal of architectural practice Joseph Little Architects. The RIAI practice was the first to be accepted into EASCA, Ireland's Environmental and Sustainable Construction Association. It is currently engaged in an innovative test project in Slane Castle and a range of environmental and energy-focused projects throughout the Greater Dublin Region.
    In 2003 Joseph launched his practice with a specific environmental and low-energy focus and started a Masters in sustainable architecture. He has gone on to become a champion of natural and low-carbon building materials, healthy forms of construction and the 'Passivhaus' standard. Joseph has been a frequent contributor to 'Construct Ireland' magazine and has lectured throughout Ireland. In September 2009 Minister John Gormley and RIAI President Seán O'Laoire launched the Building Life Consultancy service at his offices. The consultancy provides support to architects and manufacturers who are increasing the thermal and health characteristics of their building fabric designs.

    Liam McCarthy - Zurich Insurance
    Liam McCarthy, Manager New Business & Special Risks Unit for Zurich Insurance in Ireland joined the company in March 1996 from Allianz. His primary focus is to develop and grow new business profitably for the company. Previous roles included responsibility for sales & distribution in the eastern region of the country.

    Lorcan Harding - Zurich Broker Partners
    Lorcan Harding has spent many years in the Insurance industry with both Irish National Insurance and more recently with Zurich. Having initially been a property underwriter he subsequently spent some time as Sales Manager before assuming his current role which sees him responsible for developing relationships and opportunities with some of Zurich's key Broker Partners.

    Roger Sweeney - Irish Water Safety
    Roger Sweeney is Marketing Executive of Irish Water Safety, the statutory and voluntary body established to promote water safety in Ireland. Roger's primary role within Irish Water Safety is to raise public awareness and change attitudes and behaviours so that our aquatic environments can be enjoyed with confidence and safety. Roger also serves on the Council of the Marketing Institute of Ireland (West Chapter) and is a board member of The Wheel, a support and representative body for the Community and Voluntary sector.